Spic Weekly Poetry Lecture

SPIC WEEKLY LECTURE
10/06/2016
Lecturer: Spic Tolu Impact

What is Kyrielle poetry?

Before explaining what a kyrielle poetry really is, lets me give us the outline of the whole lecture
OUTLINE:

-HISTORY OF KYRIELLE
-STRUCTURE AND FORM
-REPRESENTATION
-EXAMPLES
-QUESTIONS AND ANSWER

HISTORY OF KYRIELLE
Kyrielle is a poetic form that originated in troubadour poetry.
The name kyrielle derives from the Kýrie, which is part of many Christian liturgies. A kyrielle is written in rhyming couplets or quatrains. It may use the phrase "Lord, have mercy", or a variant on it, as a refrain as the second line of the couplet or last line of the quatrain. In less strict usage, other phrases, and sometimes single words, are used as the refrain.

Each line within the poem consists of only eight syllables. There is no limit to the number of stanzas a Kyrielle may have, but three is considered the accepted minimum.

STRUCTURE AND FORM
A kyrielle is a form of rhyming poetry written in quatrains and each quatrain contains a repeating line or phrase as a refrain.

If the kyrielle is written in couplets, the rhyme scheme will be: a-A, a A. There are a number of possible rhyme schemes for kyrielle
constructed in quatrains, including a-a-b-B, c- c-b-B and a-b-a-B, c-b-c-B (uppercase letters
signify the refrain).

In the original French
kyrielle, lines were generally octosyllabic. In English, the lines are generally iambic tetrameters.

REPRESENTATION

SCHEME:

TYPE 1:

Stanza 1:

a
a
b
B

Stanza 2:
c
c
b
B

Stanza 3:

d
d
b
B

...etc
Where the capital letter B being the repeated line.

TYPE 2:

stanza 1:

a
b
a
B

Stanza 2:

c
b
c
B

stanza 3

d
b
d
B

...etc
NOTE:

Mixing up the rhyme scheme is possible for an unusual pattern of:

Stanza 1:
a
x
a
Z

Stanza 2:

c
x
c
Z

Stanza 3:

d
x
d

...etc with Z  being the repeated line
Also, in kyrielle, there is no limit to the number of stanza but the pattern and structure must be strictly obeyed
Now let's start with the first example to make things clearer

EXAMPLE

Example 1:

THE SUBTLE POWER OF GOLD

Don't dare sell your virginity
In the marts of promiscuity
For your body must not be sold
To the subtle power of gold.

Don't desecrate the sacred vine
In the name of saint valentine
For agape must never wax cold
To the subtle power of gold.

Don't dare barter the priceless gems
In exchange for their pussy realms
For your faith must not lose its hold
To the subtle power of gold.

©TOLULOPE IMPACT

TEACH ME
.
Teach me how to cahoot verses
With words of poetic Isis
Teach me how to sight providence
In this mystic world of prudence.
.
Teach me how to mend broken lines
With suture seam from inky mines
Teach me how to take precedence
In this mystic world of prudence.
.
Teach me how to unlock muse's den
With talon grip of fearless pen
Teach me how to puncture silence
In this mystic world of prudence.
.
Many times, I have sought freedom
For words in artistic kingdom
But still, I lack the words' license
In this mystic world of prudence.
.
Teach me how to weave witty words
In hidden lines like mystic gods
Teach me the silent eloquence
In this mystic world of prudence.
.
©TOLULOPE IMPACT

Let’s discard the first one.
We could all see the rhyming pattern (aabB, ccbB, ddbB eebB and ffbB)
Also, we could see that each line has 8 syllables like d first example
But let me conclude by saying..There are no limits to the number of stanzas in a kyrielle but the minimum number is 3 stanzas
Also, the rhyming schemes can be of different forms just that the pattern and structure must be strictly followed.

Compiled by:
Spic Sunday Abegunde &  Hto Precioustwins
Speaking Pen International Concept (SPIC)

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